1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to equipment used in subsea applications, and in particular, to systems and methods for subsea mining operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
During certain subsea mining operations, material is typically cut from the sea floor and raised to a surface vessel using a lift pump. In some cases, a collecting tool can pick up the material, which is then transferred to the surface vessel via a riser transfer pipe and a riser. The lift pump can be positioned between the riser transfer pipe and the riser. The material can be pulled from the collecting tool to the pump through the riser transfer pipe, and then pushed by the pump through the riser to the vessel.
Generally, the material flows through the riser transfer pipe in the form of a slurry that includes solid material mined from the sea floor, mixed with seawater or other fluid. The nature of the slurry, however, is such that at times the riser transfer pipe can become clogged, or flow can otherwise be diminished by the passage of large or irregularly shaped particles of material in the slurry, or by the adhesion of multiple pieces of material together within the slurry. Such clogs and reduction in slurry flow through the riser transfer pipe can lead to costly downtime to clear the riser transfer pipe in order to resume operations.